Electric meter.



No. 793,035. PATENTED JUNE 20, 1905. I. KITSEE.

ELECTRIC METER.

APPLIATION FILED NOV. 17,1902.

2 SHEETS-SHEBT 14 Wi www0/o PATEN'IED JUNE 20, 1905.

I. KITSEE.

ELECTRIC METER.

APPLIGATION FILED NOV.17, 1902.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

l. I A

"NITED STATES Patented June 20, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

ELECTRIC METER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 793,035, dated .Tune20, 1905.

Application filed November 17, 1902. Serial No. 131,728.

Be it known that l, Isrnon .lrrsnrn ot' the city and county ot'Philadelphia, State ot'lcnnsylvania, have invented certain new anduset'ul Improvements in Electric Meters, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to an improvement in electric meters, and has forits object the product-ion ot' an etticient and simple device capableot' registering the value of electric cm'- rent.

For this purpose this my invention consists in the Afeatures andarrangements later on to be described, illustrated in the drawings, andmore specially pointed out in the claims t'ollowing the spccilication.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional viewwith the wiring in diagram. Fig'. Q is a section taken on the line 3 3ot Fig'. l. Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view ot' the circuits with theregistering devices attached thereto in a manner so that the relativedischarge rate otl the current is indicated therein.

A is thearmature otl a motor ot' which .B represents the tieldmagnets;C, the commutator; l), the brushes; E, the armature-shaft journaled insuitable bearings, (represented at F.)

l and 2 are the line-wires, to which the brushes l) are connected inmultiple.

G is a solenoid connected to one ot' the linewires in series. To thearmature or core H ot' this solenoid is secured the receptacle S,partially tilled with the suitable liquid T. The armatm'e-shaft isprovided with means such, `t'or instance, as a paddle-wheel Q, and thereservoir S is normally held with the aid ot' means such, for instance,as illustrated in the drawings, as spring H, in a position that thepaddle Q will be submerged in the l'luid rl`, therebystopping thearmature A.

J represents two brushes in contact with the armature-shaft E. One ofthese brushes is connected, through wire 3, directly to one otl theline-wires, and the otherbrush is connected, through wire withinterposition ot' the magnet l( and resistance L, to the other of theline-wires. The armature Vt'or the electromagnet K has the escapement M,adapted to operate on the toothed wheel N, and this wheel is adapted tooperate the registering mechanism ot' any desired type. The springl Oserves to return the escapement to its no1'- mal position when theelectromagnct is deenergizcd.

The arimiture-sha'ft E is provided with the insulating' material l inalincment with the brushes J, so that upon cach revolution otl the shaftE the brushes will be tor a short period upon this insulation l),thereby breaking the circuit and dcenerg'izing the magnet.

ln Fig. 3, which illustrates an arrangement with the aid ot' which theminimum, maximum, and medium current rate can be registered, andtherefore the charge't'or the consumption of said current accordinglyregulated, S is the reservoir, to which is connected the contact-point lin electrical contact, through wire i, with one otl the brushes J, theother ot' the brushes of which is, as illustrated in Fig. 1, connecteddirectly, through wire 3, to one of the main wires. In juxtaposition tothe contact-point I/ are the three contact-plates U, U, and U2. Theregistering' device consisting of the electromag'net 1V, escapcment X,and toothed wheel Y is operatively connected with one terminal tocontact-plate U, registering device consisting' of electromagnet \V,escapement X', and toothed wheel Y is operatively connected with oneterminal to the contact-plate U, and the registering device consisting'of electromagnet 72, escapcment X2, and toothed wheel Y2 is operativelyconnectcd with one terminal to the contact-plate U2. The other terminalof each of these reg'- istering devices is connected to wire 8,branching off from the main wire l.

I will first describe the modi/.w elw/muli of practicing my inventionwith a device as illustrated in Figs. l and Q. In these ligures themotor, as is clearly illustrated in the drawings, is connected inmultiple arc to the circuit carrying the current to be measured. rlhecoils ot' this motor should be of a comparative high resistance, so thatthe tlow of the current through the motor should only be influencedthrough the electromotive torce, but not through the varying quantityotl the current flowing. If it is necessary, resistance-coils shall beplaced in the circuit connecting the brushes to the main wires. Thepaddles secured to the shaft of the armature of the motor should be ofsuch a shape and arranged in such a manner that the graduated rate ofsubmerging the same in the liquid adapted to serve as a retarding meansshould result in a graduated decrease of the speed of revolution of theshaft, and therefore the armature. As a retarding means different fluidsmay be adopted; but it will be found that in practice mercury in itspure and therefore iiuid state will give the best results. The graduatedrate of submerging the paddle in these retarding means is dependent onthe amount of current flowing through the solenoid G, and thereforethrough the main circuit l and 2. If no currentis flowing through themain lines, then the reservoir containing the mercury will be at itshighest point and will therefore, as said in the description of thedrawings, entirely stop the revolving of the armature; but as soon as acurrent commences to liow th rough the main line the core H will bedrawn downward in proportion to the quantity of the current flowing, andthis proportioned downward movement of the core H, with its appendedreservoir S, will result therein that a proportionate part of thepaddles formerly submerged in the mercury will be extricated from thesame and the armature will commence to revolve. The greater the iiow inthe main line the morethe reservoir will be drawn downward and the moreof the paddles will be extricated and proportionately greater will bethe speed of the armature. rIhe registering device, depending, as itdoes, for its operation on the revolution of the armature-shaft, will beactuated the quicker the greater the speed of this shaft, and as foreach revolution of the shaft the registering-wheel will be moved onetooth it is obvious that the rate of registering will be in exactproportion to the rate with which the armature-shaft revolves, and asthis rate is proportional to the rate of immersion of the paddle-wheelinto the mercury and, again, as the rate of immersion is proportional tothe iiow of current through the solenoid, and therefore through the maincircuit, it is obvious that the registering itself will be in exactproportion tothe iiow of the current, and therefore consumption of same.

It is unnecessary for me to add that as is necessarily the practice inall metering devices the calibration of this device should be exactbefore the same is placed in actual use.

With the device so far described only the amount of current (theamperage) can be measured; but as it is often desired to measure ormeter not only the current consumed, but also the rate of consumption,so as to be able to base the price of each unit consumed on this rate, Ihave provided the arrangement as illustrated in Fig. 3. The modas0permtclz' of this arrangement is as follows: Normally-that is, when nocurrent is iiowing-the reservoir S will be at its highest point, and thecontact-point secured to said reservoir will be out of contact with allof the plates placed in proximity to same. No matter, therefore, if thearmature will revolve or not, none of the registering devicesillustrated in Fig. 3 will'be actuated; but let the flow of the currentbe at such a rate as is for the sake of illustration designated as theminimum current then the reservoir will be drawn downward at a certainratio and the contact I will connect with the contactplate U, therebyactuating the first of the registering devices, and as this registeringdevice is designed only to register a current of small amperage it isunderstood that the amount of current registered will be one which wasconsumed at a low rate, and the highest rate of charge will therefore bemade for the current registered by this device, and if the rate of thecurrent iiowing is greater then the reservoir S will be drawn downwardin the same proportion and the contact I will come in contact with theplate U', thereby actuating the second of the registering devices, whichis designed to register only this particular ratio for which the mediumcharge may be made, and if the rate of current Iiow-.

ing is the greatest then the contact I will through the far downwardmovement of the reservoir come in contact with the plate U2 and thethird of the registering devices will be actuated, and as thisregistering device is designed only to be actuated by the maximum rateof current the minimum price will be charged for the current andregistered by this particular device. It will therefore be seen that ifthe device as illustrated in Fig. 3 is used in connection with thedevice as illustrated in Fig. 1 not only the amount of current but theparticular rate is registered.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. An electric meter consisting of meansto make and break an electric circuit` means to vary the speed of saidfirst means in accordancewith the variation of the current-flow, two ormore registering devices adapted to be actuated each through anelectromagnetic device placed in a circuit adapted to be made and brokenthrough different positions of the first and second means.

2. In an electric meter, a motor, means on said motor to break and makeelectrical contact between two eonducting-terminals, an electromagneticdevice adapted to be actuated by the varying iiow of the current, themovable part of said device adapted to make contact with one or theother of the contactplates placed in proximity to said movable IOO IIC

part, each of said contact-plates in electrical connection with aregistering' device.

In an electric meter, a retarding device adapted to retard the movementot' the motor, said retarding device consisting of a solenoid connectedin series to the current-carrying circuit, a core for said solenoid, areservoir carried by said core, and a material contained in saidreservoir, said material adapted to impede the movement ot' thearmature-shaft through its Contact with said shaft or device placed onsaid sha't't.

4f. In an electric meter, a motor, registering devices, electricalcontacts and a device adapted to be operated bythe varying How ot' thecurrent ot' the circuit` the movable part ot' said device adapted toelectrically connect through its varying position with ditlerentelectrical contacts, each of said electrical contacts connected to aseparate registering device adapted to be operated through the movementof the armature of a motor connected to the current-carrying circuit.

In an electric meter, two or more registering devices, eachmechanicallyY independent ot' the other, and each et' said registeringdevices adapted to be actuated by electromagnetic means, theelectromagnetic means olA each of said registering devices in a circuitterminatiiig in juxtaposition to the movable part ot' a solenoid withwhich said meter is provided.

6. In an electric meter, embracing a motor and a second electromagneticdevice, two or more registering devices, the circuit ot' each of saidregistering devices adapted to be opened or closed at one point throughthe movements et' the armature ot' a motor and at a second peint throughthe movement ot' the movable part ot' a second electromagnetic device.

T. In an electric meter, embracing a motor and a second electromagneticdevice, two or more registering devices, the circuit of `each ot saidregistering devices adapted to be made and broken in unison, through themovement ot' the armature of a motor and adapted to be made and brokenat a second point, each separately, through the varying position of themovable part et' asecond electromagnetic device, said varying positiondue to the varying l'low of the current to be measured.

S. An electric meter consisting of a motor connected to thecurient-carrying circuit ina manner so as not to be inuenced directly bythe varying `flow of the current in the circuit to which it isconnected, an electromagnetic device connected in series as to thecurrentcarrying circuit, retarding means carried by the movable part ofsaid electromagnetic device and adapted to retard more or less the speedet' the armature of said motor in accordance with the varying' positionof the movable part et' said electromagnetic device, means carried bythe armature ol said motor to electrically make and break the contactbetween two brushes contacting with the shaft ot' said armature, two ormore registering devices adapted each te register a diii'ercnt rate ofcurrent-How and means carried by the movable part ot' theelectromagnetic device to make operative one or the other et' saidregistering devices in accordance with the rate at which the current tobe measured is flowing.

9. In an electric meter, a constant-speed motor connected across thelines et' the circuit, the current ot' which is to be measured, anelectromagnetic device, the coil of which is connected in series to oneot' the lines ot' said circuit, and the movable part ot' which isadapted to more or less retard the movements ot' the armature otl saidmotor, a series of registering devices adapted each to be made operativeat a different position ot' said movable part, at a period when theterminals ot' their circuit are electrically connected through thearmatureshatt ot' said motor.

IO. In an electric meter, the combination of a motor, a solenoid, thecore of which is freely movable, a reservoirA-carried by said coredcontaining' a Huid, paddles carried by the armature-sha t't ot' themotor and a series of contacts `t'or making operative the circuits ofthe registers connected electrically to the circuit, the current ot'which is to be measured.

ll. In an electric meter, two or more registering devices, the actuatingmeans ot' each of said registering devices placed in an electric circuitand means carried by the movable part ot' a device actuated by thevarying flow of the current to make operative one or the other of saidregistering devices.

12. In an electric meter, the combination with an electric motor ot'retarding means, secured toits armature-shaft, a solenoid, the movablepart ot' which is provided with a fluid-con taining receptacle adaptedto embrace a greater or lesser part of said retarding means.

13. An electric meter provided with means to register the ditl'erentrate et' current consumption, said means consisting ot' a series ofregistering devices, electromagnetic means t'or each of said registeringdevices and movable means depending on the volume ot' the cnrrent-tlowto make operative one or the other ot' the electromagnetic means withwhich the registering' devices are provided.

14. In an electric meter, two or more registering devices, each adaptedto be operated at a ditferent current-How and means dependent on therate ot' said current-flew adapted to make operative one or the other ofsaid devices in accordance with the rate of said current-flow, and meansadapted to make and break, at a predetermined rate, the circuit to whichsaid registering devices are operatively connected.

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l5. An electric meter consisting of a motor, the speed of which isindependent of the rate at which the current to be measured is flowing,an electric device adapted to be influenced by the volume of saidcurrent-flow, means carried by said electric ldevice to more or lessretard the movement of the motor, a registering device actuated byelectromagnetic means and electrical connections between said motor,said electric device and said electromagnetic means to operativelyconnect said registering device to said motor and electric device.

16. An electric meter consisting of a motor, the speed of which isindependent of the rate at which the current to be measured is flowing,an electric device adapted to be influenced by the volume of saidcurrent-flow, a series of conductors in proximity to the movable partot' said device, a series of registering devices, electromagnetic meansfor each of said registering devices, each of said electromagnetic meansconnected electrically with one of said conductors, and contacting meansto operatively connect the motor aud movable part of the electric meanswith said electromagnetic means.

17. In a device of the class described, a motor, the speed of which isindependent of the varying amount of current flowing in the circuit towhich it is connected, a retarding device, the position of the movablepart of which is dependent on the varying amount of current-flow, and aseries of registering devices adapted each to be made operative atdifferent positions of the movable part of the retarding means in unisonwith the speed of the movable part of said motor.

In testimony whereof I hereby sign my name, in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses, this 21st day of August, A. D. 1902.

ISIDOR KITSEE.

Titnessesz EDITH R. STILLEY, AL. SEcUns.

